Bava Basra 2 - 8

by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach zt'l

The Price of Privacy

Partners in a yard fronting on their two homes dissolve their partnership and now own privately-held, adjoining sections. One of them demands the construction of a solid wall between their properties to prevent his neighbor from invading his privacy by observing his activities and to guarantee his neighbor's privacy.

The damage done by one neighbor to another by invading his privacy through such unwanted observation is considered a serious enough infringement to warrant that the neighbor must consent to his demand and share equally in the cost of construction and allocation of land required for the construction of such a wall.

Even if one of these neighbors owns only one third of the area and the other two-thirds, they must share the cost of the wall equally, because each of them has an equal obligation to take the necessary precaution to remove the threat of privacy invasion which he poses.

Bava Basra 2b

The Brightest Light

"The wise ones shall shine like the light of the firmament..."

This is a reference to a judge who rules with perfect justice, and to charity trustees.

"...and those who bring righteousness to the many shall shine like the stars forever." (Daniel 12:3)

This refers to those who teach Torah to Jewish children.

And what sort of illumination is used to describe Torah scholars who constantly study Torah?

"...those who love Him shall be like the sun when it will appear in all its strength."(Judges 5:31)

Bava Basra 8b

This refers to the power of the sun in the End of Days which will be seven times that of the sun in the first week of creation which was seven times the power of today's sun. This means that the glory of those who dedicate their lives to Torah study will be equal to 343 (73) times the power of the sun we know today. (Targum Yonasan ben Uziel)

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